The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-08-05
A BRAVE LADY.
How 'Her Royal Highness" Fought
for Her Life.

OnlN LnOSe WHO nave cApSiichSCu A.
IAN realize the excitement caused by
witnessing n hand-to-hand conflict be-
tween two savage, untamed beasts l
have witnessed bull fights in Mexico,
md seen a python crush the life out OF
calf in South America, but never
yazed on a more thrilling episode than
IN one hot Algerian night at a water
oool about two hundred miles IN the in
erior Beside the pool were several
trees of fair size, IN the punches of
me of which had been placed a small
platform hidden among the clustered
leaves, from which hiding place it was
Convenient to shoot any animals that
might come Ia the pool to drink during
the night. Thither repaired one even
in9 soon after sundown, Maccovoy and
myself, accompanied by his Arab SER
want, a Young man named Asilla, who
bore our spare guns and acted as gen
eral factotum TO us both ON expeditions
If this nature 1t is difficult for me, in
NV cooler moments, 10 climb tree.
md the smooth. straight stem proved
extremely troublesome To swarm. How
ever, with the help of Mae and Asilla, !
managed il and secured a comfortable
perch They followed with great IA
.ility, being both slight, active men.
md at once made the guns ready.
The moon rose gradually. and haf'l
good opportunity 10 study perfect 81
ence. Nothing can be more deeply
silent than still n.ght in the desert.
As there Is little or no vegetation in
these vast oceans of sand, there Is no
insect life, and for several hours after
he moon rose absolute silence reigned.
We did not speak. There was no
wind. 1t seemed rs if there was
| 10 living thing in that wide
,pread expanse of country. |
was beginning to feel sleepy and nod
| frequently, when prolonged roar
sounded close Mt hand. In an instant
we were wide awake and grasped our
runs neryouSly. At the next instant
/ the roar was answered from location
| immediately beneath US. On looking
i lown we saw lioness, lying on her
/ belly. her head between her paws, and
1 her long tail waving luxuriously to and
fro. She looked like huge eat enjoy
ing some pleasurable sensation Almost
| INSTANTLY a third '.woofi woof!
sounded at our backs. Cad, Doe
| breathcd Mac. 1--WE are in for bag to-
uightr' and a moment later two mag
nificent males stepped slowly and ma
| jcstically into view The female con.
tinned to purr and wave her tail gently
AS soon rs the two lions spied eacl
other they prepared for action. Slowl,
and carefully they neared each other
the lioness meanwhile watching then
a. A cat does mouse. Closer ant
closer they drew, while we, spellbonnd
reserved our fire to witness the terri
BILE duel that was impending.
And now they crouch and with mu
tual roars of rage spring at each other
and, meeting, in m;dleap. fall, blhni
md tearing, to the earth We cal
hear their bones crush between thei
powerful jaws like egg-shels beneath
mans boot-heel. The lioness, main
tanning her tranquil attitude, watche
the conflict, as it seemed go my excite
syes. with a devilish smile on her face
Over and over they rolled, while Tn
sickening sound of champing bone
filed the air. mingled with their frar
tic roaring and the movement OF thel
bodies as they thrashed through tn
whirlin@ sand BY this time my nerve
were so wrought up that could stan
the terrific spectacle no longei
and, taking deliberate aim
the lioness. behind her should'
blade. | let fly. Above the rumble {
The smooth-bore sounded the shrek I
the liouess as the heavy ball crashe
into her vitals. The two duelists /
once ceased their encounter. and as OF
of them turned he received Maccoyoy
rifle bullet in the head, the missl
niercing the hollow over the eye, whel
A the skull is weak, and entering Il
brain: death was almost instantaneou
Tho other male with thunderir
.'woof!" gave a mighty spring al
landed half way up the tree trun
nearly shaking us from our perc
@ Asilla hastily discharged one OF {
spare guns. slap-bang into his face,
probably the charge only glazea MI
for falling back he disappeared IN
the darkness toward where the moa
and cries of the lioness grew faint
o and fainter every moment.
The moon being on the wane, All
all sounds had ceased we returned
camp, with many promises to ca
other TO take up the spoor OF @
wounded enemies in the morning a
track them to their death. Accordir
!, Mt davbreak. with a party OF II
Arab beatcrs we returned 10
. stand" aud were soon or the spoor
the wounded lioness. Ihe sanu
. torn up for quite a space, as II the a
NAL had suffered terrible agony, a
following the trail for at least nj
miles in soptheasterly direction,
( dogs gave tongue at tanterisk bral
that extended on three sides of quit
body of brackish water. Some four
i've of the dogs, of better blood tn
the average Arab cur, dashed into
e0 tangle, and the next instant we had
satisfaction of seeing the mangied
mains of one flung up in the air, II
o about the center of the patch.
chorus of yelps and snarlings
.ct in, and one disconsolate
Iimped painfully out. his l
bare of flesh where the lioness'
had struck him. We We're now Il
predicament. After an hours infer
oS, clatter by the beaters, we were as
from getting her royal highness out
ever. for show herself she would !